Secure Identity Systems today announced it has been signed as the ID theft protection service of choice for Affinity Bank, Campo Federal Credit Union, First National Bank of Estes Park, and Jeffco Credit Union.
Now, all four financial institutions will offer Secure Identity Systems' restoration and education services free of charge to customers holding eligible accounts as a way to further protect individuals from identity theft.
Eligible account holders with these banks and credit unions automatically obtain restoration assistance and access to educational seminars when they sign up, and have the option to upgrade to the complete service at any time for a nominal fee. Secure Identity Systems will also provide its total identity theft protection program to bank and credit union employees as part of a competitive benefits package. The program will continuously monitor for and detect potential ID theft, as well as ensure employees managed restoration in the event of a breach.
Secure Identity Systems' four-pronged solution includes:
- Total identity monitoring. Basic credit monitoring finds only 34 percent of identity breaches. To flag the other 66 percent, Secure Identity Systems tracks hundreds of databases that use Social Security numbers, including utilities, DMV records, financial institution records, and more. When a potential breach is detected, Secure Identity Systems contacts the victim directly to ensure privacy.
- Complete Breach Resolution. Secure Identity Systems manages the entire restoration process, from the first breach to the final resolution, by providing a professional restoration advocate who works on the victim's behalf to help them restore their identities. The restoration advocate "leads the charge" on the restoration process from beginning to end, including customizing a restoration plan, providing all research, furnishing all appropriate forms and letters, supplying pertinent contact information for all appropriate agencies, letter writing, and follow-through. Restoration is expedited, while victims' stress is greatly reduced because they know the process is being professionally managed.
- Expense reimbursement insurance. High, out-of-pocket expenses and time off from work can cost victims up to $16,000 in lost income on average, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center. Secure Identity Systems reimburses identity theft victims—at a zero deductible—for expenses they incur up to $20,000 during restoration efforts. In fact, it's the only identity theft protection service to cover all financial losses associated with the restoration process, including legal expenses, lost wages, loan application fees, telephone bills, mailing and postage, notarization fees, credit reports, and so on.
- Ongoing education. Secure Identity Systems puts boots on the ground with the industry's only on-site field staff that helps financial institutions and individuals implement their systems. This high-touch approach encompasses on-site employee training, member programs, and customized community seminars that fulfill Community Reinvestment Act requirements, while teaching participants how to get the most out of their ID protection benefit.
"We're excited to help these financial institutions deepen their commitment to customer care, and ultimately minimize the risk of identity theft," says Bryan Ansley, CEO of Secure Identity Systems. "People today are more aware and weary than ever of the threat of identity theft. It is encouraging to see financial institutions such as these consider their customers concerns and take a proactive step in safeguarding them, as well as their employees and institutions, from the devastating effects this crime can inflict."